First Compost of the Year

I've checked on my two compost tumblers occasionally the last several weeks. The last time I filled them was in the fall.  Over the winter, cold weather brings the composting process to a halt.  This  spring I resumed turning them about every day, and waited for the compost to be done.  Once you can no longer recognize what the original materials were, and it just looks and smells like a nice, dark garden soil, it's ready to use.


This evening, I emptied one of the compost tumblers, spreading the compost in a layer about two inches deep over a couple of the raised beds in my vegetable garden that I will be planting soon, and as a side-dressing around the plants in a couple of other beds. As I plant those first two beds, I'll dig in the layer of compost before putting in the plants.  The compost will improve the texture of the soil, allowing it to hold more water. As it breaks down, the nutrients will become available to the plants. Compost also encourages the presence and beneficial activity of earthworms.

I immediately reloaded the compost tumbler and moistened the material so that a new batch can begin composting as soon as possible.  I can always use more compost.  Plus, over the winter, as composting stopped, a backlog of stuff built up, waiting to be processed.  The bunnies don't slow down their production of compostable material over the winter!